Cons:

A few months ago, hockey fans were delighted to hear that the players in the National Hockey League would be lacing up their skates and heading back onto the ice. The lockout that had already forced the NHL to cancel one season would not affect another, and the two sides agreed on some rule changes that (they hoped) would make the game more appealing to fans. When it was announced that the lockout was over, you can be sure that the video games publishers were some of the happiest people around. After all, how would they be able to drum up enthusiasm for their annual updates without a corresponding professional league? After playing EA's excellent NHL 06, we're as ready to start pounding the plexiglass and throwing octopi as the most diehard fans.

One of the biggest qualms with the recent iterations of EA's NHL franchise was that it was becoming tougher and tougher to set up offensive plays due to the near constant and aggressive checking. Hell, it was hard to even skate the puck up the ice without having to deal with defenders slamming into you over and over. Now, you'll find that there is a lot more open ice, and while you won't be able to go coast to coast without running into some form of opposition, your foes won't begin checking you until you cross the redline. First time players might not notice the difference, but anyone who's played the series before will enjoy the new freedom of movement.

Although that's certainly one of the game's biggest improvements, it's the new Skill Stick system that really sets the game apart. Basically, when you're controlling the league's star players, you can perform tricky moves when you're around the goal simply by flicking the right analog stick in a particular direction. When you do, the player will do something along the lines of kicking the puck to himself with his skate or flicking it at the goal between his legs. While it's a bit arcadey, it never looks too unrealistic, and it only works every so often. You have to remember, however, that only the game's biggest names (as indicated by the star icon under their bodies) can pull off these moves. If you try it with a lesser player, there's a good chance you'll lose control of the puck, wasting the scoring opportunity.

Another big addition to the game is the ability to deke by flicking the left analog stick in a direction. While you can still use the deke button if you want, it's sometimes easier to just flick the stick. It actually makes the game feel a bit more fluid, and it reminds be a bit of the action in some of EA's popular Sega Genesis hockey games. If you can make it past the defenders, you'll be able to take a shot at the goal, although some impressively improved goaltending mechanics make scoring a bit tougher than it was last year. New animations lead to some spectacular saves, though there's a chance you might get frustrated when a prone goalie swats away your shot with his stick.